


It Will Come Back

by AngelOfLorien



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, F/M, Friendship, Human Disaster Eddie Brock, I Don't Even Know, Light-Hearted, Please Don't Hate Me, Post-Venom (Movie 2018), Protective Siblings, Protective Venom Symbiote (Marvel), Secret Identity, Secret Identity Fail, Slow To Update, Song: It Will Come Back (Hozier), Title from a Hozier Song, Venom is hard to hide, Venom licks a lot, Vigilante Justice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:54:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24049288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelOfLorien/pseuds/AngelOfLorien
Summary: A run-in with San Francisco's mythical vigilante monster leaves Dani and her teenage brother a little on edge. When the monster comes back to confront her again, she's surprised to discover that they have a lot in common--a thirst for justice, a taste for Count Chocula, and no real friends. Except, perhaps, her upstairs neighbor, Eddie Brock.
Relationships: Eddie Brock/Original Female Character, Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Like most of my WIPs, I have no idea where I'm going with this. But it's a fun ride all the same.

_I know who I am when I’m alone_

_I’m something else when I see you_

Dani Carson was halfway to her apartment building when the sky opened up and dumped buckets of chilly October rain onto her and the streets of San Francisco. She scowled, huddling deeper into her hoodie. Lasted just long enough to soak her and make the rest of the walk home miserable. All she wanted to do was go home, shower, and eat whatever microwavable treat her kid brother had picked out for dinner.

She turned the corner onto her block when a cry cut through the sounds of the city. Her pseudo-mother’s intuition kicked in, recognizing Stitch’s voice from the short burst she’d heard. She took off at a run, heading in the direction of the sound, cutting down an alley without a thought to what she might be running into. She skidded to a halt, boots slicking over the wet asphalt as she caught sight of _it_. The monster the city had been buzzing about. Seven feet of black, oily muscles and rows of dagger-like teeth. And crouched at its feet, huddled next to a dumpster like so much garbage, was her fifteen-year-old baby brother.

“Get away from him!” Dani shouted. The creature whipped its head around, a long serpentine tongue slithering from its mouth. She groped around in her messenger bag for a weapon, coming out with only a travel-size bottle of hairspray that had been in there for god only knew how long. She darted between the monster and Stitch, spray in hand. “Leave him alone!”

“DON’T TRY TO COME BETWEEN US AND OUR PREY,” the creature hissed.

“Jesus, you can talk,” Dani breathed incredulously. She shook herself, eyes going to Stitch, who’d lifted his frightened face to her and was slowly standing. “It’s gonna be okay,” she said.

“WHY LIE?” The creature grinned at her. “THIS WHIMPERING THIEF HURT AN INNOCENT. HE IS OURS NOW.”

Dani’s eyes widened. “He _what_?” She turned to her brother.

“I didn’t!” Stitch cried, panicked. “I was with Bobby! I didn’t know he—”

“Bobby from the park? _Face tattoo_ Bobby?” She turned around to face him fully, indignant rage making her forget the monster at her back. “What the hell were you doing running with someone as old as Bobby?”

Stitch’s eyes darted from her to the beast over her shoulder as if weighing which he’d rather deal with. “We were just hanging out,” he said weakly. “Then on the way home, Bobby snatched this old lady’s purse and shoved her down. Then h-he showed up.” He nodded up at the creature.

From her peripheral, Dani saw it tilt its head as it watched the exchange in curiosity. “I’m guessing Bobby split?” she asked Stitch.

“HE DID INDEED,” the monster said, and she could swear it was amused. “QUITE EASILY, AND WITH LITTLE MESS.”

Stitch paled even more, and Dani turned back to the creature. “You’re not going to hurt my brother,” she said. “He’s a good kid. Stupid sometimes,” she added, “but good.”

“HIS ACTIONS PROVE OTHERWISE.”

She braced her feet apart, held up the hairspray and her cigarette lighter. “If you want him, you’ll have to go through—ack!” A black tendril shot out of the creature’s side and coiled around her torso, lifting her off her feet. Her would-be flamethrower clattered to the ground.

“Dani!”

“Run, Stitch! Go!”

He hesitated, shaking his head, and another black coil latched onto his ankle. He was dragged to the pavement and hit the back of his head, going limp. The creature hauled him up, dangling his unconscious body upside down.

Dani tried to call her brother’s name, but the tendril tightened further, making it difficult to breathe, much less scream. The surge of adrenaline from her protective instincts faded quickly, and fear reared its head. Her eyes watered as she struggled fruitlessly.

The creature brought her close to its face, and its thick tongue gave a slow drag up the side of her neck. Then it froze, and opaque, gray-white eyes narrowed to slits. “WE KNOW YOU.”

She shook her head. “N-no. I’ve never…I didn’t even believe you existed until ten minutes ago.”

Its head tilted as if listening to something only it could hear. “THIS IS WHAT WE DO. OUR JUSTICE, OUR WAY. WE TOLD HER NOT TO COME BETWEEN—” It broke off, growling. “FINE.” It turned its attention back to Dani. “TROUBLESOME NUGGET,” it said, baring its teeth.

“I-I’m sorry,” she said. “Take me. Let my brother go and take me.” She looked at Stitch, still knocked out and completely helpless. “Please,” she whispered. “He’s just a kid.”

“YOU OFFER TO TAKE HIS PLACE?” it asked with a frown. When she nodded, its eyes narrowed again. “WHY?”

“Because he made a stupid mistake. I’m supposed to protect him, take care of him,” she said. “If it ever came down to him or me, I’d choose him every time. It’s what you do for people you love, you know? So please…let him go.”

The creature huffed an impatient breath and dropped Stitch to the pavement, then pulled her even closer. She could feel its breath on her face, and she closed her eyes to wait for death. When nothing happened for several seconds, she cracked one eye open.

It stared at her, then reached out and squeezed her chin in one large hand. “ANOTHER STUPID MISTAKE AND THE BOY IS OURS FOR THE TAKING.” Its tongue darted out, the very tip tracing the track her tears had made. “WE’LL BE WATCHING.”

And with that, the tendril retracted, and Dani was dumped onto her ass in a dirty alley. She crawled over to Stitch, who was moaning and starting to wake up. She looked back over her shoulder and gasped.

The creature was gone.

\--

From the rooftop, Eddie watched the girl help her brother to his feet and make their way out of the alley.

 _I’M HUNGRY_ , Venom grumbled.

Eddie sighed. “She lives in our building, ya know? The kid…with the hood and the cap I couldn’t really get a good look at him. But I see her in the elevator like every day.”

_SHE TASTES LIKE CANDY._

He rolled his eyes. “It’s perfume or something.”

_FINE. SHE SMELLS LIKE SHE TASTES LIKE CANDY._

“Will you get off the candy, V? Please? We’ll get you some food. I just would like to make sure the neighbors we just terrorized get safely down the block and into the building, thank you.”

_YOU’RE BEING BITCHY._

“No, I’m not. I’m not being bitchy. What I’m being is a good neighbor, okay? I mean she was going to freakin’ die for that kid. You get that, right? Who does that kinda shit in real life?”

 _WE DID,_ Venom said.

“I know,” Eddie replied quietly. When the girl and her brother were safely inside, he straightened from where he’d been leaning against the rooftop ledge. “Okay, big guy. You ready to go get some food?”

_CAN IT BE A MAMMAL?_

“What’ve we talked about?” Eddie asked, walking toward the fire escape. His mind wandered as he climbed down the ladder, back to the brave girl who’d wielded hair product at a seven-foot-tall alien.

 _BRAVE? OR STUPID? IT’S A FINE LINE SOMETIMES,_ Venom interrupted, sounding annoyed. The symbiote shifted aimlessly beneath his skin, like a man would shift his weight from foot to foot. _WE LIKE HER, EDDIE. SHE INTERESTS US._

“Yeah,” Eddie agreed. “Yeah, she does.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Venom is an obnoxious symbiote. Eddie Brock is awkward AF. But it's okay because so is Dani.

It had been two weeks since the incident in the alley. Neither Dani nor Stitch had spoken of their encounter, but Stitch hadn’t so much as argued with her about taking out the trash, so she assumed he’d been scared straight. Not that he’d had far to go, but still.

Dani, though, couldn’t shake the feeling that she really was being watched. All the time. At work. On the way home. In the rickety elevator in her building. The guy who lived in the apartment above them probably thought she was a freak or something because every time she got in, she couldn’t help but steal a glance at him over her shoulder. At least he was polite, offering a pleasant smile every time she got out that she’d awkwardly return, even though she’d acted like she was on the run from the mob.

Even now, as she walked down the block to the neighborhood grocery, she felt like if she looked in any dark corner, slitted white eyes would be staring back. She shook her head at herself and took out her cell to call Stitch as she entered the store.

\--

Eddie had lots of experience surveilling people. Blending in. Going unnoticed. Of course, it always helped when the target was oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. The girl, Dani, was pretty alert most of the time. She wasn’t paying any attention to him tonight, though. He’d been on his way home, stopping by Chen’s to pick up some dinner, when he saw her come in. He ducked back behind a shelf as she breezed past, talking on her phone.

“Hey. I’m here. What do you want for the weekend? No, we’ll get lunch stuff for the week on Monday. Because I _get paid_ on Monday.” She listened, throwing a friendly wave to Mrs. Chen as she passed the register.

_WHY ARE WE HIDING?_

“We’re not,” he whispered, peeking around the edge of the shelf. She must be talking to the kid. “We’re observing.” Eddie felt Venom fight for control and he clenched his teeth as his body half-trying to step from behind the shelf. _Knock it off!_ he thought.

_YOU’RE MAKING US LOOK LIKE A STALKER, EDDIE. WE DO NOT STALK WHAT WE DON’T EAT._

“Will you shut up?” Eddie hissed. He cut his eyes at the old man beside him, smiling apologetically. Unsurprisingly, the old man scurried away.

 _SSSSTOP FUCKING THIS UP. SHE’S MOVING AWAY_ , Venom hissed back. He shifted, slithering up and around Eddie’s shoulders and back and assuming the shape of a shiny black leather jacket.

Dani dropped a few items into her basket. “I’m not getting four bags of Doritos for two days, Stitch. I’m kinda hungry for frozen burritos. Yeah, I’ll get you soda.” She caught sight of a box of cereal and grinned. “They’ve got Count Chocula!” she said, hurrying across the tiny store. She stuffed a box in the basket and reached for another before adjusting her phone with a frown. “What? What do you mean you want Frankenberry?” She snorted and put the second box back. “Fine. But if you even look hard at my Count Chocula, I will break your fingers off at the knuckles.”

Eddie cleared his throat quietly and stepped up next to her, reaching out for the discarded box of cereal. Venom seized control, and his arm lurched violently, elbowing her in the shoulder and making her drop her basket.

“Oh my god, I was—I didn’t—” _What the fuck is wrong with you?_ he silently railed at Venom. “I’m sorry, miss.”

_SHE WASN’T GOING TO NOTICE US SKULKING LIKE A PUSSY. NOW SHE WILL._

“It’s fine,” Dani said. She scooped up her groceries and straightened. “I’m not fragile—hey, it’s you. Elevator guy.”

“Oh,” he sighed, chuckling. “Yeah. Sorry. Took me a minute. Not that you’re forgettable or anything. I just…embarrassment,” he said, tapping his head and rolling his eyes, smirking.

She laughed quietly. “I’m sure you’re usually much smoother.”

“Yeah. Usually.”

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” she asked, crinkling her nose. “We see each other all the time, crammed in a five-by-five box, and we have to come all the way down the block before we actually talk.” She stuck out a hand. “Dani.”

“Eddie,” he said, returning her handshake. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” She shifted the basket in her hands, eyes scanning her inventory. “Well, I guess this is all I need. The care and feeding of a teenager is expensive—my brother,” she clarified. “I—my brother lives with me. I don’t have a kid.”

“I know,” he said with a smile. “I’ve seen him around.”

“Right. Of course. Okay, well, this has been…”

He tucked his hands in the jacket pockets. “Awkward all around?”

She laughed again. “Yeah, kind of. But still, at least we know each other now. Our elevator bonding might actually get vocal.”

_OOOH. EDDIE—_

“Hope so,” he said, tuning out V and admiring Dani’s dimples as she smiled. “Here, lemme walk you back.”

“Oh, you don’t have to—”

He shrugged. “I’m going that way anyway. Carrying your groceries after knocking them out of your hands is the least I can do.”

She squinted at him. “Oh, you’re a lot smoother than I thought. Well played.”

He followed her to the counter, smiling sheepishly as Mrs. Chen’s eyes flicked between them. “Hey, Mrs. Chen.”

“Eddie,” she said, ringing up Dani’s basket. “Behaving yourself?”

“Yeah,” he said, huffing a laugh. “Yeah, I’m tryin’.”

Her chin jerked and she gave a short hum. “Try harder, maybe.” She gave Dani her total and turned to the register to get her change. “Your boy. Tell him he still needs a job, he can clean here.”

“Oh,” Dani said, surprised. “Um, I didn’t know he’d applied.”

“He didn’t,” Mrs. Chen said. “He lingers. After school. He needs a job. He can clean.”

“O-okay. I’ll tell him. Thanks. G’night, Mrs. Chen.”

Dani moved to the sidewalk outside so Eddie could check out. Mrs. Chen leaned close to him.

“Does she know? About the other?”

Eddie quickly shook his head. “No. Nobody but you. I don’t—it’s not something—”

“Don’t look so scared,” she said, frowning. “Who’m I telling? Nobody. But be careful. You’re a good boy, Eddie. But the other…”

Venom shifted against his back, and Eddie grabbed up his bags. “It’s all right, Mrs. Chen. Goodnight.”

_WE SAVED HER AND SHE’S AFRAID OF US. THIS IS THE THANKS WE GET?_

“You ate a guy in front of her,” Eddie breathed, ducking his head as he headed for the door. _Tends to make a lasting bad impression._

 _THIS ONE WASN’T AFRAID OF US_ , Venom muttered as they stepped up beside Dani and Eddie took her bags. But Eddie had gone back to ignoring him.

\--

“Thanks for the help,” Dani said as they got to her door. She took her bags from him and shook her bangs out of her face. “I’ll see you around, Eddie the Elevator Guy.” She inwardly cringed. _Real smooth, Dani_ , she thought with a mental eye roll.

Eddie just smiled. “Yeah. Hope so.”

She could feel her cheeks heat with a blush, so she turned to unlock the door. She’d just slipped through when he leaned casually against the doorjamb.

“You wanna have dinner with me sometime?” he asked, hands tucked in the pockets of his jacket. He shrugged, brows raising as he assumed a charmingly boyish expression and nodded toward her bags. “I mean, I like a good bowl of cereal as much as the next guy, but real food is important too.”

She swatted him lightly on the leg with the bag that held their cereal boxes. “You aren’t as charming as you think you are,” she told him, and his grin widened. She pretended to think it over, pursing her lips. “Fine. You cooking?”

He canted his head. “I can, but…”

“Hmm. Doesn’t sound too promising. Tell you what,” she said as she sat her bags down and rested hands on hips. “Show up here tomorrow at seven. I’ll cook.”

“But _I_ asked _you_ out,” he stressed, arching a brow.

“No, you asked if I wanted to have dinner with you.” She smiled, dimples blooming. “You survive tomorrow night, family dinner with my obnoxious brother, and I’ll think about going out somewhere with you.” She lifted one shoulder in a slow shrug. “Maybe. I appreciate a good chase now and then,” she said.

“Well, it just so happens that I enjoy giving a good chase every now and then,” he said. Then he shook his head at himself and chuckled. “Like things on your own terms, huh?”

The door opened wide and Stitch propped against it, holding a bag of barbecue chips. “I call it having control issues, but whatever,” he said, crunching his snack. “You live upstairs, right?”

“Stitch,” Dani said with a jerk of her chin. “Grown-ups are talking.”

“Right,” he sighed. “I’ll leave you guys alone to _talk_ ,” he said, using air-quotes. “It’s painful to hear old people flirting anyway.” He bent, gathering the bags, and headed toward the kitchen.

Now she knew there was no hiding the flush in her cheeks. “I better get in there before he tears through all the food. He’s like a black hole.”

“Right,” Eddie said, straightening. “I’ll let you…”

She stepped inside and started closing the door. “See you around,” she said quietly as he threw her a wave and headed down the hall toward the elevator.

“Hey,” he said, turning back. “About dinner tomorrow. You serious?”

Oh, shit. She hadn’t expected him to take her up on her offer to cook. “Uh, yeah. I guess.”

He nodded. “All right. See you tomorrow, Dani.”

“Good night, Eddie.”

She closed the door and leaned her back against it, closing her eyes and huffing a breath. When she opened them, Stitch was staring at her, eating a bowl of cereal.

“Wow,” he drawled.

“Shut up,” she said, shoulders slumping. “Did you hear everything?”

“Oh yeah.” He shoveled more Frankenberry in his gob. “My favorite was the part where you invited the total stranger to eat dinner with us. I’m not sure which I like more,” he continued, waving his spoon airily. “The fact that this guy could have the mummified remains of fifteen people in his apartment and you don’t know because you just met him, or the fact that you don’t know how to cook.”

“I’ll order take-out and put it in our cookware,” she said. “He’ll never know. Besides, one meal with you and I won’t have to worry about it anymore because I doubt he’d be up for a second date.” She chucked a pillow at him, which he lazily dodged.

“Ah, I’ll put on my company manners,” he grinned, tipping up his bowl and drinking the pink milk. “You need a boyfriend.”

“As you just pointed out, I don’t even know him,” she said drily. She bustled to the kitchen and filled a sandwich bag with Count Chocula. “He might not even be boyfriend material.”

Stitch shrugged. “Regardless, you need something to occupy your time. Get you out some. When’s the last time you went out other than to work?”

“We went to the movies last weekend,” she said, chomping dry cereal.

“With someone other than me?” he clarified.

She thought about it, frowning.

“Yeah. Exactly,” Stitch said. “Best behavior, I promise.”

“I’m going up to the roof to smoke,” she said. “Wash your dishes.”

She went to the fire escape window and crawled out, climbing the rickety metal steps carefully. She’d never given the windows of Eddie’s apartment a second glance when she’d passed them. Most of the time the curtains and blinds were drawn. So rather than be super creepy and try to peek in, she continued up to the roof.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani has a confrontation with Venom that ends in sharing chocolate cereal?? And a sort of friendship??

She hauled herself up and sat on the ledge, dangling her feet as she lit up a cigarette. She took a drag, then popped some cereal into her mouth. Their building wasn’t exceptionally tall, but the way San Francisco rolled, she still had a nice vantage point of the city at night. The skyline, the silhouette of buildings and the twinkle of lights, it all worked together to soothe away any tension she might be feeling. Since she and Stitch had moved here, they’d made their own way. Lived how they wanted, without the shadows of the past hanging over them. This city…it was her sanctuary.

Movement on a nearby rooftop caught her attention and her breath stuck in her throat. A black mass crawled like a spider up the wall of the building and then, like a gargoyle on a gothic cathedral, the creature perched on the ledge, scanning the streets.

And suddenly, the niggling dread she’d felt for the last two weeks dissolved into righteous fury. How dare it? How _dare_ it come into their lives and shred the sense of security she’d spent the last twelve years building for her and Stitch?

“You’re an asshole!” she shouted. She hadn’t worried it would hear her, given the distance between them. But its silhouette changed, and she got the distinct impression he was looking right at her.

Then it melted into the shadows and she lost sight of it.

Anger coursed through her, warming her skin and making her shake. She surged to her feet, stuffing the forgotten cereal into her hoodie and paced the lip of the roof, eyes focused on the skyline. She took out another cigarette and stopped, turning her back to the wind to light it. She took a deep drag and closed her eyes.

“YOU CALL US ASSHOLE?”

The deep, raspy voice startled her even as it reignited her anger, and she spun to face the creature. In the back of her mind, she’d known it was coming. Why else had it disappeared the moment she’d shouted at it?

“I did. Because you are. Every time you go out, you kill or terrorize people—”

He growled, lipless mouth pulling back to reveal those deadly rows of dripping teeth. “ONLY ONES WHO DESERVE IT.”

“I didn’t deserve it!” she shouted, pointing a finger at her own chest. “My brother didn’t deserve it! I got no fuckin’ sympathy for the murderers and rapists and violent people you take out. The city’s better for it.” She tossed down the cigarette and stomped it out. “But you scare people and get off on it, and it’s bullshit! You’re nothing but a bully.”

“BULLY?” it roared. It reached out with a thick black tentacle and scooped her close. “WE DELIVER JUSTICE. WE AREN’T SSSOME SSSCHOOLYARD BITCH MAKING CHILDREN CRY.”

She punched it. She actually punched it, right in the chest. It flinched back, eyes widening in surprise, and the tentacle loosened, though it didn’t release her completely. “You like making people afraid! That is _exactly_ —what—a bully—is!” she said, slapping at the tentacle as she ranted.

“YOU AREN’T AFRAID,” it said. It cocked its head and its tongue darted out to slick across her throat. “WE WOULD TASTE IT IF YOU WERE.”

“Of course I’m afraid!” she spat, wiping at her neck. “You threatened to murder my brother!”

Its eyes narrowed again and it shoved her away. “YOU’RE AFRAID FOR HIM, NOT AFRAID OF US.”

She scowled at it, brow furrowing as she held its gaze. And she realized she wasn’t afraid of it. Not really. She opened her mouth but closed it again when she couldn’t think of anything to say against its statement. Hell, here she was going toe-to-toe with it, and for whatever reason, it was letting her. Even the uneasiness she’d felt for the last couple of weeks because of its threat to watch her hadn’t been enough to have interrupted her routines.

It crouched, getting to eye-level with her. “YOUR ANGER ISN’T DIRECTED AT US, EITHER.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” she said hotly, straightening her shoulders. “I’m plenty pissed at you, pal. I mean, who the hell do you think you are, anyway?”

It grinned a hideous grin at her, thick saliva dripping from its teeth. “WE ARE VENOM.” It scanned her face, smirk slipping as she gave no reaction.

She blinked at it and was quiet for a beat. “I don’t know what that means,” she admitted, frowning.

“THAT’S…OUR NAME,” it said.

“Venom?” Her face scrunched and she gave a noncommittal grunt.

It jerked back, straightening to its full height. “WHAT’S WITH THAT FACE?” It sounded offended.

“No, nothing,” she said. “I just wasn’t expecting…I mean, it’s a little normal.” When it opened its mouth and snarled, she hurried on. “What I mean is you’re a creature, right? So I just assumed if you even _had_ a name it’d be something unpronounceable. Like Gorgomatoth or something.”

It squinted one eye at her. “YOU’RE A WEIRD LITTLE NUGGET.”

“And you’re an asshole, so it looks like we’ve come full circle with this conversation.”

It humphed. “WHAT IS THAT?” it asked, pointing to the baggie of cereal she’d tucked in her hoodie pocket.

She pulled the baggie out. “Uh, Count Chocula.”

“GIVE IT TO US.”

“This shit is so surreal,” she sighed, dumping some cereal into his outstretched hand. “You could say please, you know.”

Its serpentine tongue lapped it up and its eyes blinked rapidly. “WE LIKE IT. GIVE US MORE.” It stuck its hand out, waiting. But then it tilted its head. Its eyes narrowed and a low growl rumbled from its chest, but it dropped its hand. “NEVERMIND,” it muttered.

“Can I ask you something?” When it nodded once, she stuffed a handful of cereal into her own mouth. “You hear voices, or what?” She pointed at her head and tilted it. “You did that the other night, like you’re listening to something. That why you speak in plural?”

“THERE’S ANOTHER, YES.”

“Another like you?” she asked, chewing faster. “Holy shit.”

It shook its head. “WE’RE NOT ALIKE. JUST…THE SAME. IT’S COMPLICATED,” he said impatiently.

“Fair enough.” She held the bag out, offering more cereal. “So how come you’re just chilling up here, talking? You could crush me like a bug, but—”

“WE WOULDN’T HURT YOU,” it interrupted, holding its palm out so she could pour chocolate bits into it.

“Why not?” she asked curiously.

The creature shrugged his massive shoulders and licked the cereal out of his hand. “NO CAUSE TO. BESIDES,” he added. “YOU TALK TO US, SHARE YOUR CHOCOLATE SNACKS.”

She snorted. “What, so we’re friends now?”

A tendril extended and gently wrapped around her wrist, and his tongue snapped the piece of Chocula she’d been about to eat from between her thumb and forefinger. “AREN’T WE?”

“You gotta stop with the tongue thing,” she griped, wiping spitty fingers on her jeans. “Are you really so hard up for someone to hang with that you have to resort to someone who doesn’t even like you?”

He looked away, eyes narrowed, and she knew she’d touched a nerve.

She sighed, zipping up the baggie and taking a cautious step toward him. “Here. While you’re out…” She gestured vaguely. “A snack for the road. I mean, if we’re gonna attempt to be friends and all. I’m not saying I’m gonna be any good at it, mind you. I’ve never hung out with a vigilante monster before. But still…” He looked down at her outstretched bag and slowly took it. “But hey, listen,” she added. “Um, Stitch is…he’s had a lot go on in his life, even though he’s just a kid. Don’t…don’t let him see you, okay? Like if you come around when I’m up here?”

He nodded. “WE CAN BE SNEAKY. SOMETIMES,” he added under his breath. “AND WE APOLOGIZE. FOR FRIGHTENING YOU AND THE BOY.”

She knew her surprise was evident on her face. “Uh, okay. Apology, um, accepted.”

The sound of a siren a few blocks away cut through the night, and he grinned and turned, running for the edge of the roof. He did a swan dive off it, and Dani gasped.

She hurried to the ledge, heaving a breath at the sight of him swinging from one building to the next using some sort of extension of his body. She watched him disappear into the night, the dangerous, murderous creature who now apparently considered her a friend.

And she wondered when she’d started thinking of him as a _him_ rather than an _it_.


End file.
